This 2022 Distillery Exclusive Release has been finished in Virgin Oak casks for one year and limited to 966 bottles.
Appearance: Honey gold/sunset. A thin beaded swirl mark with plenty of medium legs. A thin film coats and clings to the glass.
Nose: A pleasing ABV. Deep and rich dried fruits, Christmas spices and oak. Stone cherry appears after a time, along with Benelyn and cooling pine needles.
As the glass matures a more mellow custard element brings some sugary sweetness and vanilla.
A subtle funk lingers on the nose after the other notes recede.
Palate: A lovely oily buttery mouthfeel with a decent hit of spices, in the form of black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon.
The dried fruits, cherry and oak are the dominant flavours at first. There’s also a faint citrus edge, possibly blood orange as there’s a slight bitterness.
All of the flavours are accompanied by a nice warming on the chest.
Wood polish and an almost chilli tingle are all in the mix too.
It’s a decadent palate with depth and sweet richness.
Finish: The oak and cherry are consistent throughout this dram, which is not a bad thing as both are very nice. They both last for a medium amount of time. The custard sweetness is also still present in the finish.
Overall: Very nice! I like the cherry oak and that custard note balances very nicely, creating a well-rounded dram.
